distinguee

English

Adjective

distinguee (comparative more distinguee, superlative most distinguee)

1. Alternative form of distingue
   • 1848, William Makepeace Thackeray, Vanity Fair:

     He thought her gay, brisk, arch, distinguee, delightful.

   • 1851, Jane Margaret Hooper, Recollections of Mrs. Anderson's School, page 105:

     Now, although this manner is always easy, it never degenerates into the "free and easy" as an English easy manner too often does, and thereby becomes anything but distinguee.

   • 1969, Константин Леонтьев, The Egyptian Dove: The Story of a Russian, 1881, page 16:

     To this Nesvitsky made the following comment with significant, weighty, and almost scientific precision: "I shall permit myself to distinguish between the concept of 'society woman' and that of a distinguee woman.

   • 1977, James Fritzhand, Starring, →ISBN, page 119:

     Ken asked. "What do you think? Your career in show business. Or should I be distinguee and say show biz?"